Phlox plant named ‘Dophlflaproce’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Dophlflaproce’, characterized by its upright and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; dense inflorescences with purplish red-colored flowers with light purple-colored centers and medium purple-colored rim at the throat; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Phlox paniculata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOPHLFLAPROCE’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Varieties of Phlox Plants

Inventor: Ellen van Sambeek

Applicant: Dümmen Group B.V.

Provisional application Ser. No.: 62/973,349

Filed: Sep. 30, 2019

Inventor and Applicant hereby claim the benefit of this provisional U.S. Patent Application.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier, The Netherlands on Sep. 19, 2019, application number 2019/2284. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

The Inventor and Applicant/Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor and/or Applicant/Assignee. Inventor and Applicant/Assignee claim a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dophlflaproce’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new early and freely-flowering Phlox plants with attractive flower color.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2012 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, of a proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA08-000056-011, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Phlox paniculata identified as code number PA08-000043-004, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in July, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since March, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dophlflaproce’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dophlflaproce’ as a new and distinct Phlox plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Dense inflorescences with purplish red-colored flowers with         light purple-colored centers and medium purple-colored rim at         the throat.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Phlox have purplish red-colored flowers with light purple-colored centers and medium purple-colored rim at the throat whereas plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Phlox differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Phlox are more uniform than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of Phlox paniculata ‘Sweet Summer Snow’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sweet Summer Snow’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more compact than plants of         ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely flowering than plants         of ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.     -   4. Plants of the new Phlox flower about two weeks earlier than         plants of ‘Sweet Summer Snow’.     -   5. Plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sweet Summer Snow’ differ in         flower color as plants of the new Phlox have purplish         red-colored flowers with light purple-colored centers and medium         purple-colored rim at the throat whereas plants of ‘Sweet Summer         Snow’ have white-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plant of ‘Dophlflaproce’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the early summer in 17-cm containers initially in a glass-covered greenhouse and finished in an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Phlox production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 21° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were pinched one time one week after planting rooted young plants and were eleven weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘Dophlflaproce’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             paniculata identified as code number PA08-000056-011, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Phlox             paniculata identified as code number PA08-000043-004, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial typically grown             as a container and garden plant; upright and uniform plant             habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: About four lateral             branches develop after pinching. Length: About 26 cm.             Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 138D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to             144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 138D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate and             salverform flowers arranged in compound terminal and lateral             panicles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly depending             on position on inflorescence; freely flowering habit with             about 20 to 25 flowers per inflorescence and about 946             flowers developing per plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants             begin flowering about ten weeks after planting; plants             flower in July in the garden in The Netherlands; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 78A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 22 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 16 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter, proximally.—About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe             length: About 1.4 cm. Lobe width: About 1.6 cm. Lobe shape:             When flattened, obovate. Lobe apex: Rounded. Lobe margin:             Entire. Lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:             Pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 66A;             towards the throat, close to 69C. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 73A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             58B; towards the throat, close to 75A; rim at the throat,             close to 78A; midvein, close to 58A and lateral venation,             close to 58B; color does not change with development. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 73A with             random patches, close to 77A; midvein, close to 58A and             lateral venation, close to 73A; color does not change with             development. Throat: Close to 77A; venation, close to 77A.             Tube: Close to 77A; venation, close to 77A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, campanulate. Length:             About 8 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Narrowly deltoid.             Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 79A. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 141C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 30° from lateral             branch axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 30° from peduncle             axis. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to             155C. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 1D.             Pollen amount: Scarce to moderate. Pollen color: Close to             155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, three-parted. Stigma color:             Close to 145A. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color:             Close to 77A. Ovary color: Close to 143A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Phlox. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from −20° C. to 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Phlox have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Phlox plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘Dophlflaproce’ as illustrated and described. 